This invention relates to handheld electronic devices, and more particularly, to handheld electronic devices that have remote control features and gesture recognition.
Remote controls are commonly used for controlling televisions, set-top boxes, stereo receivers, and other consumer electronic devices. Remote controls have also been used to control appliances such as lights, window shades, and fireplaces.
Because of the wide variety of devices that use remote controls, universal remote controls have been developed. A universal remote control can be programmed to control more than one device. For example, a universal remote control may be configured to control both a television and a set-top box.
Conventional universal remote controls have a number of limitations. Conventional universal remote controls typically have a large number of buttons. It is therefore often difficult for a user to operate a conventional universal remote control device without focusing on the universal remote control device. This may lead to frustration as a user is forced to switch focus between pressing the correct button on the remote control and viewing information on a television or other device that is being controlled by the remote control.
A conventional universal remote control device must also generally be left in the vicinity of the equipment it is used to operate. This is because conventional remote controls are typically dedicated to performing remote control functions of a particular device.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide a way in which to overcome the limitations of conventional remote controls.